Pappardelle with Cod Cakes in Tomato Sauce

Another exceptional recipe from Chef Yotam Ottolenghi. Each bite reveals a different, subtle spice and surprising flavor. His combination of ingredients and technique yields a superb meal every time. No need to use an expensive Sable Cod - use a less expensive true cod or Lingcod since it will be ground in the food processor. Measuring out all of your ingredients and getting them ready before you start to cook makes the process easy. I used two pans to prepare this dish: one high-sided fry pan for the onions and tomato sauce, and one large non-stick fry pan for the cod cakes. Serves 6.

Recipe

1/2 c. olive oil
2 onions, peeled and chopped in large chunks
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1" piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground coriander
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1-1/2 lbs. cod, skinless and boneless, roughly chopped into 2" chunks
Breadcrumbs - 3 slices white bread, crusts removed, blitzed in food processor to make crumbs
1 egg, beaten
Preserved lemon using the skin of 1 small lemon, finely chopped
2 T. parsley leaves, roughly chopped
2 T. mint leaves, roughly chopped
salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 T. harissa
1-1/2 cans chopped tomatoes
2-3/4 c. chicken stock
2 strips peeled lemon skin (use a vegetable peeler)
1 tsp. sugar
1-1/2 lbs. fresh pappardelle pasta

Using a food processor, make the bread crumbs. Remove to a bowl. Add the onions to the processor and pulse until finely chopped.

Heat 3 T. of the oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Fry the onions for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Transfer half of the onion mixture to a small bowl, then add the ginger and spices to the pan with the remaining onion and fry for a minute. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside to cool.

Put the chunked fish in the food processor and pulse a few times to roughly mince. Don't overwork it. Add to the large bowl with the onion and spices, then add the breadcrumbs, beaten egg, preserved lemon, 1/3 each of the parsley and mint, 3/4 tsp. salt and freshly ground black pepper. Using your hands, mix well and shape into 12 cakes about 2-1/2" wide by 3/4" thick. Heat 2 T. oil in a  large nonstick sauce pan on medium-high heat and fry for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. You'll probably have to do this in two batches.

You can make the cod cakes ahead of time; after they're cooked place them on a plate or tray lined with parchment paper, cool, cover with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve, then heat them up for about 10 minutes in the tomato sauce.

Put the reserved onion/garlic mixture into the large (high sided) frying pan that you used to cook them in originally over medium-high heat. Add the harissa and fry for a minute, stirring continuously. Stir in the tomatoes, stock, lemon skin, sugar and 3/4 tsp. salt and bring to a gentle boil and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly. Add the rest of the parsley and half of the remaining mint and stir. If serving later, cool the sauce and refrigerate.

When ready to serve, add the cod cakes to the pan with the sauce and cook for about 10 minutes. While the sauce and fish are heating, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, return to the pan and mix in 1 T. olive oil. Divide the pasta between six bowls and spoon over some of the sauce and top with two cod cakes per person. Sprinkle with the remaining mint.

– Yotam Ottolenghi recipe in The Guardian

Stuffed Tomatoes

A hearty and satisfying meal for those not-too-ripe tomatoes. They're stuffed with mushrooms, zucchini, ground beef, sausage, onions, garlic, and parsley. Save the stem for decoration when serving. As there were three of us for dinner, I halved the following recipe with perfect results.

All stuffed and ready for the oven.

Recipe

6 large tomatoes, not too ripe
1-1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. olive oil
2 T. potato starch dissolved in 2 T. water
2 c. baby bella mushrooms, washed, cubed and coarsley chopped
2 c. zucchini (about 2 small ones), cubed and coarsely chopped
1/2 c. roughly chopped onion
2 garlic gloves, cut in thirds
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley or minced chives, plus 2 T. for garnish
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. ground beef
8 oz. hot Italian sausage, casings removed

Preheat oven to 400-degrees.

Remove the stems of the tomatoes and reserve for decoration. Cut a 3/4" slice from the stem end of each tomato and using a metal measuring spoon, hollow out each tomato leaving a 1/2" to 3/4" thick shell. Put the slices of tomato and scooped out insides in a food processor. Add 1/2 tsp. of the salt, the olive oil, and the potato starch and process until smooth. Transfer mixture to a saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it thickens, a few minutes. Strain through a food mill and set aside.

Put the mushrooms, zucchini, onion, garlic, parsley, and jalapeño in the food processor and pulse until chopped. In a large bowl add this mixture to the ground beef and sausage, add the remaining 3/4 tsp. salt and the pepper and mix well with your hands. Arrange the tomatoes, hollow side up, in a gratin dish and fill with the stuffing mix (about 1 cup per tomato). Put the stems on top for decoration. Pour the sauce around the tomatoes and bake for 1 hour.

Serve with some of the sauce drizzled over and around the tomato and sprinkle with 2 T. of chopped parsley or chives.

– Jacques Pépin, "Heart & Soul in the Kitchen"

Oriental Chicken Cabbage Salad with Ramen Crunch

My friend Katie has been making this salad for years and it's one of my favorites. Fresh thinly sliced cabbage is combined with red pepper, green onion and cooked chicken breast, mixed with an Asian-inspired dressing using the ramen flavor packet. The ramen noodles are broken up and toasted in the oven with chopped almonds and sesame seeds for a flavorful crunch. Try it, I think you'll like it as much as I do! Simply omit the chicken for your vegan friends (and the Nissan brand Oriental Ramen is also vegan).

Recipe

1 package ramen noodles, reserve seasoning packet (I use Nissin brand Oriental ramen)
1/2 c. whole almonds, roughly chopped (or use slivered almonds)
2 T. sesame seeds
3 c. thinly sliced or shredded red or green cabbage (about half a medium head, core removed)
3 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces, seasoned with salt & pepper and pan fried in olive oil & butter until done and golden brown
3 thinly sliced green onions
1 red pepper, chopped
3 T. vegetable oil
2 T. white balsamic vinegar
2 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
salt & pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 350-degrees. Break up the ramen noodles into small chunks and place on a baking sheet with the almonds and sesame seeds. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes until golden. Cool. Combine cabbage, chicken, onion and pepper in a large bowl.

Make the dressing by combining the ramen seasoning packet with the oil, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and salt & pepper. Pour over the salad. Add the toasted ramen, almonds and sesame seeds and mix well. Serves 6.
 

Strawberry Upside-Down Cakelets

These individual strawberry cakelets are just perfect for a 4th of July dessert - easy and quick to prepare. Not too sweet, they're light and creamy with the addition of buttermilk, mascarpone and pureed fresh strawberries in the batter. Makes 6 half-cup ramekins, or you could use muffin tins.

Recipe

Cooking spray (for ramekins)
1/4 c. sugar (for ramekins)
6 large strawberries, tops removed, sliced into 4 pieces
1-1/2 c. self-rising flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. butter, softened
1/4 c. mascarpone, room temperature
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. pureed strawberries
Powdered sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Spray the bottom of the ramekins with cooking spray and sprinkle the bottom of each with a teaspoon of sugar. Arrange the sliced strawberries in a spiral pattern on the bottom of each ramekin.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In another large bowl cream together the butter, mascarpone, vanilla and sugars with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in half of the flour mixture until incorporated, then add the buttermilk and mix. Mix in the remaining flour mixture followed by the pureed strawberries. Mix until smooth with no lumps. Pour the mixture into each ramekin so they are about 3/4 full; tap on the counter to release any air bubbles. Place the ramekins on a sheet pan and bake for about 25-28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool for about 15 minutes, then run a knife along the outside edge of the ramekin and invert onto serving plates. If the strawberries adhere to the bottom, just remove them with a knife or spoon and arrange on top of the cake. When cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

– Recipe by Aaron McCargo Jr., FoodNetwork.com

Roasted Cauliflower, Sausage & Green Olives

This is a simple but flavorful dish that you'll enjoy again and again. It's definitely going in my weekly menu rotation. Serve alone, on rice, or with a tasty gazpacho or other first course soup. Based on Chef Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe, I highly recommend his cookbooks, and check out his recipes at The Guardian (they also have an app). Well worth it. The guy is a creative genius and works magic with vegetables.

Recipe

1 large head of cauliflower, broken into bite-size florets
6 oz. Field Roast Mexican Chipotle Vegan Sausages (2 links), cut in chunks
1 large red onion, cut in wedges
1/4 c. pitted green olives, cut in half
2 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and cut in quarters
2 T. pumpkin seeds
2 tsp. sweet smoked paprika
3 T. olive oil
1-1/2 tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
3 T. chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

Preheat oven to 425-degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Put all ingredients, except parsley, in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour the ingredients onto the baking sheet and spread out to one layer. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring ingredients after about 15 minutes, until cauliflower is softened and getting some color. Remove from oven, let cool for about 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

– based on recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Marcona Almonds and Pecorino

A friend of mine went to Bottega for lunch in San Francisco and raved about the brussels sprouts salad. I've been wanting to make it ever since, so it was about time! What a citrusy-fresh, crunchy, all around yummy salad - why did I wait so long?

I cheated a bit on the prep: the original recipe calls for shaving six dozen brussels sprouts with a mandoline to get about 8-9 cups, but instead I bought two 10-ounce packages of them already shaved at Trader Joe, as well as Truffle Marcona Almonds which are delicious! This recipe generously serves 6.

Recipe

2 lemons, unpeeled, cut in quarters
1/2 naval orange, peeled
1 large shallot, peeled
1-1/2 c. olive oil
1 tsp. sea salt
10 hard boiled eggs, peeled
(2) 10-ounce packages shaved brussels sprouts
3/4 c. Marcona almonds, finely chopped
1/2 c. grated Pecorino-Romano cheese

For the vinaigrette use an electric juicer to extract the juice from the lemons, orange and shallot. Pour the juice in a medium bowl and vigorously whisk in the olive oil in a thin stream. Season with salt and pepper. Taste, adjust seasoning if needed, and whisk again. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (or up to three days).

Sieve the eggs. I used a ricer and squished three eggs at a time. Put in a bowl. If preparing the salad later, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. All of your ingredients should be nice and cold (except the almonds of course).

When ready to serve, put the shaved brussels sprouts in a large bowl. Add the sieved eggs and chopped almonds (reserving a few tablespoons of the almonds to sprinkle on top) and toss. I find it's best to use your hands for mixing. Pour on about 1 cup of the vinaigrette and toss again. Spoon into individual, preferably chilled bowls, sprinkle on some of the reserved chopped almonds, and top with the grated pecorino. Spoon on a little more of the vinaigrette and serve.

– "Michael Chiarello's Bottega"